The review---
If you are a vegan and you are bored with the
recipes that you make, then try something new! There are all
sorts of exciting ideas for the Latin food lover and new
discoveries for the traditional cook in Viva Vegan! Terry Hope
Romano has put together an array of modern recipes that will
give you something new to eat. Recipes range from Sweet
Potato-Chipolte Bisque to Cafe con Leche Flan and Tofu
Chicharrones to Tostones with Avocado and Palm Ceviche. Most if
not all of the recipes are her creation as vegan cuisine is a
newly explored lifestyle option in Latin countries and there are
no grandmother's traditional recipes to adapt from.

I have some experience with Latin food as friends from Chile,
Columbia, Cuba and Venezuela have presented me with samples of
some of their countries top dishes. I know how addictive Arepas
can be and that dipping Churros in hot chocolate can make you
swoon. Cuisines of Mexico, Brazil, Peru to El Salvador are also
reflected in the scope of fun recipes. It's nice to see that the
author has included some quick start menus in the ending chapter
and even was considerate enough to devise shopping lists there
too to help out those unfamiliar with this style of cooking.

First I tried the Sancocho a vegetable, roots, and plantain
soup. I was sold on the picture alone yet somewhat concerned
about all of the ingredients and the possible amount of work I
would have to do, but my fears were calmed as I started. In the
end it wasn't too bad at all and the final resulting beauty and
flavor of the dish made it worth it! The Cuban Black Bean Soup
was very good too. I learned to make Cuban Black Bean Soup from
Frank Hernandes, a Cuban, some 30 years ago. This was almost as
goodnothing beats Frank's but this version of course
didn't have any of the ham and chorizo that was in his. So in
the end, Terry's version passed the test!

The book's cover has a photo of the author slicing plantains and
the back some pictures of plates of her food. The center section
of the book has a dozen or so additional full-page pictures of
her food. In part 1 of the book you are introduced to some of
the different ingredients that you will need for the recipes and
thoughts on cooking in a semi-spicy way, although not all the
dishes are spicy. There are a handful of spices that may seem
hard to find, and ingredients like name, pupusas, seitan and
panela that might be unfamiliar. Well relax, most if not all
ingredients can be found in most supermarkets Latin food
section. So try something new, buy the book, and get cooking
with Viva Vegan!
Sancocho (Vegetable, Roots, and Plantain Soup)

Serves at least 6
Time: About 1 hour, most of that being inactive while the soup
simmers

Sancocho is a big, comforting soup that features delectable
chunks of vegetables, root
vegetables, and yuca-long simmered until the broth is gently
thickened and rendered
sweet and mild. Whole pieces of corn on the cob make this soup
visually interesting
and fun to eat. A little hot white rice on the side is just the
thing, if you're in needof something extra.

There's room for variation when using potatoes, green plantains,
or other Latin
root vegetables such as name (pronoun nyah-meh) or anything that
falls under the
huge category of "yam" (yautia in Spanish) In New York City,
these tropical root vegetables can often be found in even the
most humble supermarket for prices that rivals
that of potatoes, making it easy to experiment and try something
new.

Tip: For a boost of protein, I like to toss in 1 to 2 cups of
reconstituted TVP or sauteeed seitan. Or frozen green fava beans
(not traditional, but this large, meaty bean goes with the
hearty veggies) or even chickpeas.

1. In a large soup pot, heat the olive oil, Annatto-Infused Oil,
chile pepper, leek, shallots, onions, and white part of the
green onions over medium-high heat (set aside green parts for
later). Stirring, cook until the onions and leek are tender,
about 6 minutes. Add the oregano, cumin, carrots, yuca, pumpkin,
tubers, tomatoes, corn, vegetable broth, thyme, and bay leaves.
If using fava beans or TVP, add here as well. Cover and bring to
a boil, then lower the heat and bring the soup to a simmer.

2. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
root vegetables and pumpkin are very tender. Turn off the heat
and season the soup with lime juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Stir in the cilantro and reserved green part of the green onions
before serving. Include a chunk of corn cob in each bowl of
soup; to eat it, just scoop it up with your spoon, grab, and
eat!